Talent hunt is the name of the game. The new buzz word on the television programming arena is a successful formula that is working here and also works the world over, as it benefits quite a few stockholders — the advertisers, the participants, the channel and the mobile telephone companies. These telephone cpompanies are making a fast buck from the SMS component woven in these interactive formats. In fact, in the final episode of Indian Idol, revenue generated through SMS messages sent to the programme alone was Rs 6 crores.
Speaking on the popular trend of all kinds of talent hunts on the Indian telly, adman, Mr Shovon Chowdhury, founding partner of Street Life advertising, said, "the talent hunt programmes have proven to be hugely popular. The interactive component through SMS messages ensures additional revenue generation. Various equations are worked out among the sponsors to share revenue. If the programme is successful like an Indian idol, it garners enough eye balls to make the advertisers queue up, said Mr Chowdhury, who has worked with leading ad agency Bates in key positions for several years.
Advertising professionals also pointed out that the success of the genre of the talent hunts can be gauged from the proliferation of such shows and their sheer range. From dance to music, acting to business acumen, comic skills or even contests for kids.
Recently, Hungama TV announced a talent hunt for kids in which a girl and a boy would be selected to act in a Hindi movie with John Abraham. The basic opportunity to showcase talent, too, cannot be ignored in the overall popularity of such shows. "Hungama TV wants the Indian kids to showcase their talent," said Ms Zarina Mehta, COO, Hungama TV, which is a UTV venture.
Mr Chowdhury pointed out that a key draw in these shows is the prize money at stake for the contestants and the adrenaline rush for the viewers. The kids in the Hungama TV contest will win Rs 5 lakhs and a three-year contract with UTV.
The Great Indian Laughter Challenge has also proved to be very popular. The Garnier Fructis-sponsored Nach Baliye used the innovative concept of a dance talent contest among married celebrity TV and film actor couples. Then there is the latest entrant Business Bazigaar, a business acumen talent show, and also a show by naukri.com, which offers a job at the end of talent hunt.
Talent hunt shows latest TV craze
May 5, 2006, 10:02 amIndian economy has started to dance
May 5, 2006, 10:01 am
Stating that the Indian economy, which he likened to an elephant, had "started to dance", finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said on Thursday that foreign direct investment would play an important role in speeding up India’s economic growth.
Mr Chidambaram, in his address to nearly 350 delegates, including bankers, on the second day of the 39th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank here, said that higher FDI inflows would not only help in "stepping up the investment rate, but in also enabling transfer of technologies and the globalisation of Indian firms".
"Our FDI policy, like any other policy, is an evolving policy. Investor confidence in India is at an all-time high today. The World Investment Report 2005 has ranked India as the second most attractive investment destination among transnational corporations," he said to a round of applause at the "India Day" at the meeting.
The finance minister said the reason for the interest in India by foreign investors was because the country’s gross domestic product growth rate had been in the range of 7-8 per cent. "In the global context, India’s growth performance of the last decade and a half ranks among the top six in the world growth league 1 along with China, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. In purchasing power parity terms, the growth puts us among the top four in the world," he said.
Mr Chidambaram said the household savings rate in India has moved to a higher growth trajectory. "In the late 1990s, savings of Indian households were pegged at 17 per cent of GDP, but by the beginning of 2006, they were in excess of 29 per cent."
According to the finance minister, India is set to witness a second wave of offshoring in the manufacturing sector. "Till a couple of years ago, our manufacturing sector contributed less than 20 per cent of GDP. Now, however, the industrial sector contributes 25 per cent of GDP," he said.
"The second and much bigger wave of manufacturing offshoring is yet to come. The first wave consisted mostly of labour-intensive items. The second wave, just beginning, could reach $1.6 trillion annually, will consist of skill-intensive manufacturing," he said.
Referring to exports, he said that when economic reforms had started, India’s exports accounted for less than six per cent of GDP. But by the beginning of 2006, they accounted for more than 13 per cent. "India’s goods and service exports have up nearly eight times from $25 billion in 1991 to nearly $200 billion in early 2006," he said.
Mr Chidambaram, in his address to nearly 350 delegates, including bankers, on the second day of the 39th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank here, said that higher FDI inflows would not only help in "stepping up the investment rate, but in also enabling transfer of technologies and the globalisation of Indian firms".
"Our FDI policy, like any other policy, is an evolving policy. Investor confidence in India is at an all-time high today. The World Investment Report 2005 has ranked India as the second most attractive investment destination among transnational corporations," he said to a round of applause at the "India Day" at the meeting.
The finance minister said the reason for the interest in India by foreign investors was because the country’s gross domestic product growth rate had been in the range of 7-8 per cent. "In the global context, India’s growth performance of the last decade and a half ranks among the top six in the world growth league 1 along with China, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. In purchasing power parity terms, the growth puts us among the top four in the world," he said.
Mr Chidambaram said the household savings rate in India has moved to a higher growth trajectory. "In the late 1990s, savings of Indian households were pegged at 17 per cent of GDP, but by the beginning of 2006, they were in excess of 29 per cent."
According to the finance minister, India is set to witness a second wave of offshoring in the manufacturing sector. "Till a couple of years ago, our manufacturing sector contributed less than 20 per cent of GDP. Now, however, the industrial sector contributes 25 per cent of GDP," he said.
"The second and much bigger wave of manufacturing offshoring is yet to come. The first wave consisted mostly of labour-intensive items. The second wave, just beginning, could reach $1.6 trillion annually, will consist of skill-intensive manufacturing," he said.
Referring to exports, he said that when economic reforms had started, India’s exports accounted for less than six per cent of GDP. But by the beginning of 2006, they accounted for more than 13 per cent. "India’s goods and service exports have up nearly eight times from $25 billion in 1991 to nearly $200 billion in early 2006," he said.
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